1996 BMW 318 loud howl when driving

1996 BMW 318
122,000 MILES • 4 CYL • 2WD • MANUAL
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DEBRA KOLNICK
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even in nuetral there is a loud howl coming from the left front wheel.it neither shakes nor vibrates and i m 1500 miles away from home.can i make it back after thanksgiving to get it fixed or is it urgent?there is movement in what looks like a ball joint when front is jacked up,and there is a sound when wheel is then spun manually, i cant fix it myself as im not at home.. even tho i may be 54 years old and female i still do my own work and wouldnt know where to turn here in goldsboro,n.c.
Nov 23, 2008 at 3:09 PM
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DOCHAGERTY
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It could be a wheel bearing from the description. The actual labor time to replace a front wheel bearing should not exceed 1.5 hours if you shop the job around over the telephone, find someone that understands BMW cars and seems reasonable. The diag time should not be a part of the repair if it is a straight forward diagnostic. If this is a wheel bearing failure and it sounds like it from your description then I would quote an hour plus the bearing cost (about $125) Probably out the door for $250. Also this would be an opportunity to inspect the brakes and deal with them if needed. ♥
Nov 23, 2008 at 3:37 PM